We were inseparable, spending every spare moment together.
Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…
Nicole is a Change and Training Manager, and Caleb is an HR Business Partner. We love our dog, Wallace. He is the sweetest, most loyal boy and has taught us a lot about ourselves and how well we work as a team. Our friends and our family mean the world to us, and we love spending our free time with them. Nicole is a serial hobbyist and has tried almost every hobby there is – “sticking to one is not nearly as fun as starting a new one”. Caleb loves being active and playing sports, and if he’s not playing, he’s most likely watching it. We found a love for music and concerts together and are known to be the couple who will most likely be attending the local gig during the summer. We love how it makes us feel free, and there’s no better feeling than dancing and having fun with the ones you love.
How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?
Nicole – We didn’t initially meet in the most unique way (dating app), but we loved our first date. For our first date, Caleb picked me up as we planned to go for a walk and have fish and chips on the Takapuna beach. At the time, I lived with three boys, and Caleb came up and knocked at the front door. One of my housemates opened the front door, and Caleb introduced himself and asked if I was available and ready. As I walked passed him he whispered, ‘keep this one he’s a gentleman’. Caleb packed a little cooler box with some drinks and a picnic basket. He knew the way to my heart before we even really knew each other. We chatted non-stop and it just felt so comfortable, it truly felt like we knew each other for months. We both didn’t want the date to end and already planned the next time we would see each other.
When did you first realise that this was someone you’d like to spend the rest of your life with?
Caleb – Honestly speaking, I knew from our first date that Nicole was someone I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. From the outset, I saw in her everything you could want in a partner: smart, bubbly, funny, beautiful, driven, and passionate. We had a real adventure that night, even stealing a pallet from a nearby store to use as firewood as we stayed up all night. I realized then that Nicole wasn’t just someone I could be with but someone I could share a life with.
Over the next few months, there were countless moments that cemented this feeling. We were inseparable, spending every spare moment together. Every moment seemed to fall perfectly for us. We loved each other’s friends, and we’d sit on the beach at midnight and see shooting stars. It always felt, and still feels, like it was meant to be.
Was there a proposal? Tell us a little about it…
Nicole – Yes, the most perfectly beautiful proposal. We went to South Africa to visit my family and to show Caleb where I grew up, and it was such a special holiday. A few days before our holiday ended, Caleb proposed to Blouberg Beach at sunset after touring local Cape Town Wineries and Beaches for a day. It was so unexpected because, by the end of the holiday, I was almost certain that an engagement wasn’t on the cards anymore. He did such a great job throwing me off. It was a really special moment to be able to get proposed to on the beach. You had always dreamt of getting engaged as a child, but after immigrating, you almost forgot about that dream. We loved being able to celebrate with family and friends in South Africa before returning to celebrate with our family and friends here in New Zealand.
What was one element you were happy to splurge on?
We were happy to splurge on our photos and video. From the beginning, we knew we wanted our day to be captured perfectly, as these are the memories we will look back on once the wedding is over and in the years to come. We are over the moon with how our photos and videos turned out, and honestly, we couldn’t have asked for anything more. Curate Weddings have something so special about them. It felt like they were our friends, making us feel comfortable throughout the entire day. Their attention to detail is unmatched, and we are so glad they captured our day. We would do it all over again in a heartbeat.
Did anything happen on your wedding day that you laugh about in hindsight (even if it was stressful at the time)?
Oh my, what didn’t happen on our wedding day? The afternoon before the wedding, we received news that our close friend and MC had COVID and couldn’t attend. Additionally, we found out that we couldn’t use the confetti we had purchased months ago.
Thankfully, we have the most incredible friends. Our friend Sam offered to step in as the MC at the last minute and spent the entire night studying our wedding binder to ensure everything was perfect. Another close friend, Tasman upon hearing about our confetti issue, simply said, “Leave it to me.” By 6 PM, she had reached out to her neighbours and miraculously sourced the most beautiful hydrangeas for us to use as confetti. We felt so incredibly blessed and lucky to have such supportive friends.
But the mishaps didn’t end there. The next day, we forgot the confetti in the fridge on the way to the ceremony. The bridesmaids had to turn back to get it, making us 20 minutes late. In a rush, my vow book was left in the car, which I realised only when it was time to exchange vows.
It’s funny how your mindset can impact your wedding day. We made the most of the extra time by chatting and joking with our guests, which took the pressure off and reminded us why we were there – to celebrate our love with our loved ones. Despite the hiccups, our day was beautiful, and I cherish the photos of us laughing and having fun during the ceremony.
Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, is there a story? The history of the ceremony dress…
Our outfit story is actually quite a sweet one. Nicole’s dress was designed by Trish Peng, and Caleb’s suit was crafted by T. Begg Tailoring (Tim Begg, Trish’s husband). Caleb was actually Tim’s first customer. It made it incredibly special to have our outfits designed by them as a couple, especially during their own wedding period. We had the most incredible experience with both companies and truly felt looked after, not just like another customer.
Nicole’s dress was slightly customised with a detachable skirt for the ceremony, allowing her to have three distinct looks throughout the day. Later, she added tulle bows to her shoulder straps for sunset photos and dancing, which added a unique and personal touch to the dress.
LOCATION Bridgewater Country Estate, Kumeu Auckland, New Zealand PHOTOGRAPHER Curate Weddings, @curate.weddings FLORIST Where Rosemary Grows, @whererosemarygrows CELEBRANT Imogen Atkins, @imogenatkinscelebrant SIGNAGE Paper Darling, @paperdarlingnz ENGAGEMENT RING Diamonds on Richmond, @diamondsonrichmond WEDDING BANDS Makespace Studio Jewellery, @makespace_jewellery BRIDAL DRESS Trish Peng, @trishpeng BRIDE’S SHOE Mi Piaci, @mi_piaci ACCESSORIES Earrings: Kirstin Ash, @kirstinash MAKEUP Sam Hart Sam, @samhartsam HAIR Messy Bun, @messybun_nz SUIT T. Begg Tailoring, @t.beggtailoring GROOM’S SHOE Merchant, @merchant1948 ACCESSORIES Watch: Emporio – Armani, @emporioarmani BRIDESMAID DRESSES Shona Joy, @shonajoy GROOMSMEN SUIT Debut
